AIM-7 SparrowMission:The
AIM-7 Sparrow is a radar-guided, air-to-air missile with a high-explosive
warhead. The versatile Sparrow has all-weather, all-altitude
operational capability and can attack high-performance aircraft
and missiles from any direction. It is a widely deployed missile
used by U.S. and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) forces.

Features:The missile has five major sections:
radome, radar guidance system, warhead, flight control (autopilot
plus hydraulic controlsystem), and solid-propellant rocket motor.
It has a cylindrical body with four wings at mid-body and four
tail fins. Although external dimensions of the Sparrow remained
relatively unchanged from model to model, the internal components
of newer missiles represent major improvements with vastly increased
capabilities.

Background:The AIM-7F joined the Air Force inventory
in 1976 as the primary medium-range, air-to-air missile for the
F-15 Eagle.

The AIM-7M, the only current
operational version, entered service in 1982. It has improved
reliability and performance over earlier models at low altitudes
and in electronic countermeasures environments. It also has a
significantly more lethal warhead. The latest software version
of the AIM-7M is the H-Buildwhich has been produced since 1987
and incorporates additional improvements in guidance. The F-15
Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters carry the AIM-7M Sparrow.
U.S. and NATO navies operate a surface-to-air version of this
missile called the RIM-7F/M Sea Sparrow.

In the Persian Gulf war, the
radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow proved to be a potent air-to-air weapon
used by Air Force fighter pilots. Twenty-two Iraqi fixed-wing
aircraft and three Iraqi helicopters were downed by radar-guided
AIM-7 Sparrow missiles.

Features:The Sidewinder
has a high-explosive warhead and an infrared heat-seeking guidance
system. Its main components are an infrared homing guidance section,
an active optical target detector, a high-explosive warhead and
a rocket motor. The guidance section enables the missile to home
in on the engine exhaust of target aircraft. An infrared unit
costs less than other types of guidance systems and can be used
day or night in all weather conditions. The infrared seeker also
permits the pilot to launch the missile then leave the area or
take evasive action while the missile guides itself to the target.

Background: A prototype of the Sidewinder, the AIM-9A,
was first fired successfully in September 1953. The initial production
version, designated AIM-9B, entered operational use in 1956 and
has been improved upon steadily since. The L model was the first
Sidewinder with the ability to attack from all angles, including
head-on. The AIM-9M, currently the only one operational, has
the all-aspect capability of the L model while providing all-around
higher performance. The M model has improved defense against
infrared countermeasures, enhanced background discrimination
capability, and a reduced-smoke rocket motor. These modifications
increase its ability to locate and lock on a target and decrease
the missile's chances for detection. Deliveries began in 1983.
The AIM-9M-7 was a specific modification to AIM-9M in response
to threats expected in the Persian Gulf war zone. The AIM-9M
and AIM-9X are future variants presently under development.

The Sidewinder is the most widely
used air-to-air missile in the West, with more than 110,000 missiles
produced for 27 nations excluding the United States. The AIM-9
is one of the oldest, least expensive and most successful missiles
in the entire U.S. weapons inventory.

The AMRAAM /Advanced Medium-Range
Air-to-Air Missile/ was designed to replace the disappointing
AIM-7 Sparrow. It is guided by an active pulse-doppler radar
and propelled by a high-speed, reduced smoke rocket. The AMRAAM
can acquire its targets beyond visual range /BVR/ and be launched
at any aspect angle and speed. The AIM-120 is untested in actual
combat.

The AGM-88A HARM /High Speed Anti-Radiation
Missile/ is an upgrade of the Shrike. Towards the end of the
Vietnam War, enemy radar operators learned to turn off the radar
when they detected a Shrike missile launch. The HARM was developed
with a much higher speed and range so it could hit a radar source
without warning. It also has a better target acquisition system
that is effective against both CW and pulse-dopppler radar. Both
the enemy SA-8 Gecko and the allied Roland SAM systems use pulse-doppler
radar.

Originally developed for the
Navy to serve as its basic anti-ship missile for fleetwide use,
the AGM-84D Harpoon also has been adapted for use on Air Combat
Command's B-52G bombers. The 42nd Bombardment Wing, Loring Air
Force Base, Maine, was first tasked to perform the Harpoon mission
in 1985. The wing refined tactics and doctrine to merge the long-range,
heavy-payload capability of the B-52 with the proven reliability
of this superior stand-off attack weapon. These combine to provide
the war-fighting capability to interdict ships at ranges well
beyond those of other aircraft.

Features:

The AGM-84D Harpoon has been
adapted for use on B-52G bombers, which can carry from eight
to 12 missiles.

AGM-84E SLAMThe AGM-84D Harpoon is an all-weather,
over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system. The AGM-84E Harpoon/SLAM
is an infrared Stand-Off Land Attack Missile used for long range
precision strikes.

Features:

The Harpoon's active radar guidance,
warhead design, and low-level, sea-skimming cruise trajectory
assure high survivability and effectiveness. The missile is capable
of being launched from surface ships, submarines, or (without
the booster) from aircraft. The AGM-84D has been adapted for
use on Air Force B-52G bombers, which can carry from eight to
12 of the missiles. The AGM-84E uses an inertial navigation system
with GPS, and is fitted with a Tomahawk warhead for better penetration.

Background:

Originally developed for the
Navy to serve as its basic anti-ship missile for fleetwide use,
the AGM-84D also has been adapted for use on the Air Force's
B-52G bombers. The AGM-84D was first introduced in 1977, and
in 1979 an air-launched version was deployed on the Navy's P-3
Orion aircraft. The AGM-84E has been developed for the Navy for
land attack use.

Simple, cheap and effective, the Mk series of general-purpose
bomps usualy makes up the bulk tonnage of munitions dropped in
any engagement. The Mk82 is effective against tanks and other
ground force targets as well as small buildings.

The Snakeye version of the Mk82
has drag fins which open upon release to rapidly decelerate the
bomb. This causes the bombs to hit well behind the plane, allowing
a safe egress from a low drop. This bomb is otherwise the same
as the Mk82.

The GBU-15 uses a TV or imaging
infrared seeker to lock onto its target, then glides to the point
of impact using control fins. The GBU should be used for important
and hard to destroy targets like command bunkers, hardened aircraft
shelters and nuclear weapons plants. In addition, it can be used
against targets in civilian areas, The warhead of the GBU-15
is the same as the Mk84.

The CBU-84 has fins to spin the unit at high velocity and disperse
the released bomblets over a wide area. Each bomblet contains
a half-pound forward-firing, shaped charge and a zirconium incendiary
ring. This munition is effective against light armor, infantry
and other soft targets.

The Durandal was designed solely for the purpose of destroying
runways. The bomb first penetrates the runway surface and then
a delayed explosion buckles a large portion of the runway - damage
much more difficult to repair than the crater of a general-purpose
bomb. Note that a bomb hit toward the end of a runway might not
destroy enough pavement to put the runway completly out of action.

Texas Instruments PAVEWAY
Laser Guided Bomb GBU-22

DALLAS (September
25, 1996) - Texas Instruments (TI) Defense Systems & Electronics
(DS&E) has successfully qualified the PAVEWAY III Laser Guided
Bomb (LGB) Guided BombUnit (GBU) 22 on the F-16 aircraft. Testing,
which was funded by the company, was conducted by the United
States Air Force (USAF) from April 1996 to June 1996 at Eglin
Air Force Base, Florida. The test program included two guided
GBU-22 weapon releases, both successful. This member of the family
of PAVEWAY LGBs, the GBU-22, employs the Mk-82 500 pound warhead.

For the PAVEWAY family of LGBs,
TI manufactures the laser seeker, guidance electronics, and control
section, called the Guidance and Control Unit (GCU), which is
attached to the front of the selected warhead. TI also produces
the cruciform airfoil group, a tail section equipped with four
pop-out wings to help stabilize the weapon during its flight.
The adapter group, consisting of the ounting lugs for the bomb
rack on top of the weapon, complete the TI-produced LGB kit.

The PAVEWAY family of LGBs is
the world standard Laser Guided Bomb. During Operation Desert
Storm, PAVEWAY LGBs were used to destroy enemy command and control
facilities, bridges, SCUD ballistic missile launchers, and tanks.
Over 10,000 LGBs were dropped during the ampaign by coalition
forces. PAVEWAY was also successfully employed by NATO forces
in Operation Deliberate Force in Bosnia because of its pin-point
accuracy and reduced chances of collateral damage.

MK- 76The Mk 76 Mod 5 is a 25-pound, solid-metal
cast practice bomb. Its body is teardrop shaped and centrally
bored to permit the insertion of a practice bomb signal cartridge.
The after body, which covers the tail tube, is
crimped to the bomb body and has welded-on conical tail fins.
The bomb is designed with single lug
suspension, using the Mk 14 suspension lug.

The Mk 76 Mod 5 practice bomb
is designed for impact firing only. It uses the Mk 1 firing pin
assembly to
initiate the signal cartridge. The signal cartridge and firing
pin assembly are held in place by means of a cotter pin.

Mk-106This 5-pound practice bomb is a thin-cased
cylindrical bomb used to simulate retarded weapon delivery. The
bomb is composed of the bomb body, a retractable suspension lug,
a firing device, and box-type conical fins.

The firing device consists of
a safety pin, a firing pin head, a cotter pin, a spring, and
a disc. The firing pin head
is the main body of the device and is threaded so it can be screwed
into the forward end of the bomb body.
The spring and the disc prevent the practice bomb signal cartridge
from striking the firing pin, located on the
face of the firing pin head, until it meets sufficient resistance
to force the cartridge into the firing pin. This
resistance is normally met when the weapon impacts the target,
but for added safety during ground handling,
the safety pin is installed into the firing pin head and secured
by a cotter pin. The safety pin and cotter pin are
removed before flight.

Mounted in the nose of each F/A-18,
is General Electric's 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon. The gun operates
on the same principle as other Gatling weapons and is hydraulically
driven. It's primary purpose is for close-in visual identification
air-to-air combat, and for air-to-ground close air support.

The M61A1 Vulcan armament system
has proven to be highly reliable. Design features that provide
positive round control through the ammunition transfer cycle
include:

Highly refined design geometry
of sprockets, guides and round paths,
Special materials that provide extended life and reduced wear,
and
Proven gear box designs that provide reliable power transfer.
The modular system also offers ease of maintenance. All systems
components, including the ammunition storage drum, are mounted
to the aircraft on a common pallet structure. This modular design
approach permits rapid system installation and removal during
maintenance.

The M61 Gatling Cannon has been the standart internal aircraft
gun of the United States Air Force for 30+ years. It is capable
in both dogfighting and strafing roles. While current Air Force
doctrine stresses the development and use of BVR missiles such
as the AMRAAM, the gun is the only weapon effective at very close
ranges. In fact, during the Vietnam War, guns accounted for one-third
of the air combat kills, despite being installed on only a small
percentage of the American fighter contingent.